WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The North Carolina Department of Transportation has announced a new traffic signal policy that aims to improve safety, according to a Friday, July 26, announcement.

The department is adding a “leading pedestrian interval” to its traffic signals, providing pedestrians with a 3-5 second head start to enter marked crosswalks before drivers get a green light. The new intervals will allow pedestrians to better establish themselves to drivers who have to yield before turning, the NCDOT says.

The interval is already used in downtown Charlotte and Raleigh, but the NCDOT said it’s working to add it to the roughly 3,500 pedestrian crossings with signals across the state. The department estimated that 20% of those intersections already have the intervals.

“This change makes pedestrians more visible for drivers,” NCDOT Western Region Signals Engineer Nick Zinser said. “It’s a safety enhancement, and it can be done at a low cost by reprogramming the existing equipment at our traffic signals.”

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